Folding top for automobiles.



H. SMITH.

FOLDING TOP FOR AUTOMOBILES.

H. SMITH. FOLDING T-OP FORAUTOMOBILES.

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A TTORVEY.

'parrain srarns HINSDALE SMITIIOF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIELD BODY COMPANY, OF MASSACHUSETTS.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HINsDALE SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Springfield, .in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tops for Automobiles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in convertible automobile bodies of a kind such as set forth'in application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me Feb. 20, 191.1, Serial No. 609,564. In such a body is comprised the combination with a pair of brackets oppositely located at the rear por tion of the automobile body, of va foldable top including a plurality of bows adapted to have suitably widely separated relations, the

rear one of which has the depending members thereof secured to said brackets and the bows forward of such rear one adapted while in their separated relations to be detachably supported on the sides of the body,

and to be in their folded relations detach-l ably connected to and 'supported by said brackets, and members, locatecLaLopposite rear portions of the body` andadapted for lmovements forwardly and rearwardly, to

which the said brackets are pivotally connected, so thatwth'e bows of the automobile top when collapsed and having their supporting connections with the said brackets may be swung down to a more or less nearly horizontal position and then moved forwardly', to decrease the extent of overhang of the folded top at the rear of the vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide improved devices of simpler character than' those shown in the aforesaid application for patent, and which may be more conveniently operated especially when the forward bodlly displacement of the horizontally swung folded top is to be accomplished.

Another object is to provide a' pair of4 brackets pivotally mounted-on or jointed to a suitable support therefor at the rear portion of the automobil'ebody, by which brackets the depending members of the. rear bow are carried and with which bracket the depending members of 'a forward bow or bows are detachably connected and having combined therewith means for detachably locking such brackets to the automobile body Vse Specification of Letters Patent. pplcation Ied August 5, 1912.

ienariaivr onirica.

SPRING- rammen rei. a. raie. Serial No. 713,439.

f that when the brackets are swung to their positions to accord with the 'of the top the brackets are as rigid appurtenances of the body and will support the rear bow in a Erm and substantial manner and immovable relatively to the rear portion of the body.

Other objects are to improve the device 1n respect to minor features thereof as will hereinafter appear.

The invention is described and claimed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and is defined in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear portion of a convertible body topof which is in its set-up set up condition automobile, the position whereby the vehicle is a closed one resembling a .limousine or landaulet and relatively to which the devices of the present invention are applicable. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the foldable top as in the positionwhich it has when folded and down. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through the rear portionv of the body and more particularly showing the'devices in which the .present invention is comprised. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view on line lfl, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross vsectional viewon line 5-5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of parts in detail as drawn on line 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective view for affording clearer illustration of the construction and capability of the improved devices.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.- ln the drawings, A represents the body of an automobile, of which B is the foldable top, the same comprising a plurality of bows a a2, adapted to rated relations when the top. is set up, as shown in Fig. l; and the rear one of such bows a has its depending members or legs permanently secured to the upstanding members c of L-shaped brackets B oppositely located at the rear portion of the body and near the upper edge of the body sides. The ,depending members of the forward bows while in their lseparated relations shown in have suitably widely sepa.

Dloo

Fig. l are adapted to -be detachably support' i duplicate brackets 3B, substantially as done,

excepting as regards minor details in the convertible body fully described an shown in the aforementioned application. C represents a link duplicated at the opposite sides of the body, arranged more or less nearly vertical; and each of these links has its lower end, by, pivot d, connected to the body, the attachment being by the provision of a. fixed lug or bracket f screwed von a suitable post-like part provided onthe inside of the body. Each bracket B of suitably angular form as shown in Figs. 3 and f each other, fore and aft, to serve as guides their supports at a* forward/of the brackets and brought to connection with the brackets.

The L-shaped brackets are then rocked from` the'position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2, and then they are bodily,

swung and the folded top therewith on the links (J to accomplish a bodily forward displacement of the then horizontal bracket supported top so as to materially diminish the rearward overhang ofthe top.

i z' represent metallic bars suitably supported on the inner sides of the body and ranging in separation and parallelism with for the links, and as means for restraining them against distortion by reason of any transverse force which may be brought y.

thereagainst.

The tiltable or rocking L-shaped brackets B have their lower members c2 widened or made `with outwardly extending iianges t, as shown, which flanges form flush continutions of the upper edges of the side walls of the body.; and means are .provided for i temporarily locking each bracket when in its-position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 firmly to the side of the body so that when the top is up the rear bow connected to the duplicated brackets cannot shift, swing orrat.

tle relatively to the body. The particular means here shown for forming thcv detachable connections between the depending members of the bows and the parts on which they are interchangeably supported,-such parts being the body sides at times and the brackets at other times,will be now described.

The lower ends of the depending members of the bows have apertures y', preferably by makin the extremities such members bifurcate the supporting part is made with a horizontal transverse screw threaded hole 7c; and screws e are provided for e11- gagement in said holes, portions of the Shanks thereof passing through the apertures j, and such screws have' enlargements endwise beyond their threaded shanks with tapered shoulders m at the junction of the Shanks and the enlargements, such' tapered shoulders engaging the faces of the bows marginally of their apertures so that when screwed home thfey force and hold the bows tightly facewise against the supporting parts, such supporting part in Fig. 5 being seen as the tiltable and swinging bracket,

and in Fig. 6 as al solid part of the side wall ofthe body.

The device for bodily forwardly moving the top supporting brackets here described and shown is an extremely satisfactory, practical and desirable one for the reason that in the operation of the bodily swinging of the top forward, after the same has been folded and lowered, there is no tendency of cramping or binding; but on the other hand v the action is one of entire ease and conven` ience. Y

In the device as actually constructed and here represented, the `forward one of the screw studs e performs the double duty of serving as a means of detachably confining the forward vbow on the bracket when the top is to be folded and of locking the bracket .in its position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 when the top is distended and set up. It will be noticed in this connection, vespecial referencev being had to Figs.,5 and 7, that the side portion of the body. A near its upper edge is provided with an upwardly opening socket or recess 0,' the same being formed in a metallic casting' or fitting p inset in the bodyy side and outside of which .the extremity of the member c2 of the bracket slightly facewise overlaps. When the forward one of the several bows a2 is disconnected from the bracket and the bracket is swung to the 4position shown in Fig. 3, `an intermediate portion of-the forward screw stud e is engaged in the upwardly opening socket or recess o, and then by inwardly screwing the stud, its tapered shouldered part m firmly engages against the inner face of the socket provided fitting, and in thefirmest possible manner holds the bracket locked and immovable and against the possibility of swinging, shifting or rattling relatively to the body.

Inasmuch as I claim as original with me the provision of a bracket pivotally mounted on the rear portion of an automobile body by which a rear bow of the folding top is carried and with which bracket one or more other bows are detachably connected, and means for locking, when the top is up and distended, the said bracket firmly and immovably relatively to the body,I do not wish to be confined. to any particular form of rear one adapted, while in such separated'` relations, to be detachably supported on the sides of the body and to be also in their folded relations detachably connected to, and supported by, said brackets, approXimately vertical links, at opposite sides of the body, having their lower ends pivoted to the latter and to the upper ends of which said brackets are pivoted, and means for detachably locking said brackets to the sides of the automobile body.y

2. The combination with an automobile body, of oppositely located brackets at the rear portion, a foldable top, the bows of which are supported by and foldable and distensible relatively to said brackets, said bows provided with an aperture on their free ends, screws positioned in spacedrelation on the brackets for engagement with 'said apertures when the top is folded, and links having one end pivotally connected to the rear end of said brackets, the other end of said links pivotally secured on said body y for supporting and shifting the top of saidv body in its folded position, guides for the links and a recess provided 'in said body for receiving locking `means ycarried by the brackets thereby locking the brackets with reference to the body.

3. The combination with an automobile body, a foldable top having a plurality of bows, of oppositely located bodily movable L shaped brackets at its rear portion having their lower members provided with outwardly extending flanges, which flanges form flush continuations of the upper edges A of the side walls of the body,'means whereby said movement may be effected and means l.'

'provided for temporarily locking each bracket when flush with the edges of said walls to the side of the body so that when Y the top is up the rear bow' connected to the duplicated brackets cannot move relatively to the body.

L d. The combination with an automobile body, of"oppositely located bracket-s at its rear portion, a section of said bracket flush with the upper edge of said body, a foldabley top comprising a plurality of bows adapted to have suitably widely separated relations, thel rear one of which has its depending member secured to said bracketsand the `bows forward of the rear one-adapted while in such separated' relation to be detachably `supported on the sides of the body and to be also in their folded relations detachably connected to and supported bysaid brackets, v

approximately vertical links at opposite sides of the body, having their lower ends pivoted to the latter and to the upper ends of which said brackets are pivoted, and

meansfor detachably locking said brackets I to the sides of the automobile body.

5. The combination with an automobile body, of oppositely located brackets at its rear portion,'means for detachably locking saidbrackets to the sides ofthe automobile body, a foldable top comprising a plurality of bows adapted to have suitably widely separated relations, the rear one of which has its depending member secured to said brackets and the bows forward of the rear .one adapted while in such separated relation to be detachably supported on the sides of the body and to be also in their folded relations detachably connected to and supported by said brackets, approximately vertical links at-oppositesides of. the body'having their lower ends pivoted to the latter and to the upper ends of which said brackets are pivoted.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass., in

presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` y HNSDALE SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BnLLows,

G. R. DRIsco'LL.

, copies of this patent may be obtained vfor ve cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Waahllngton, D. G. y 

